TY  - GEN
TI  - Exploring capacity gaps for improved disaster risk reduction within UNESCO-designated heritage sites in Africa
N2  - The increasing occurrence of hazardous events like floods and droughts, intersecting with socio-environmental exposure and vulnerability, has escalated disasters, particularly impacting vulnerable regions in Africa. Natural and cultural heritage sites in Africa are vital for sustainability, linking past, present, and future generations while offering significant socioeconomic tourism-related benefits. Threats to these sites in Africa numbering 268 can alter host communities' identities and deprive future generations of their benefits. However, disaster exposure, vulnerability, and threat levels at these sites remain understudied. Also, the capacity levels and gaps of key actors are largely unknown. Addressing these gaps is crucial for sustainable protection against disasters and mitigating significant threats posed by natural and human-induced hazards.
The dissertation presented here uses exploratory cross-sectional mixed methods and comprehensively assesses disaster risks and capacities in Africa, aligning with the United Nations? Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction. It aims to answer two overarching research questions: (i) What is the level of exposure of heritage sites to disaster hotspots in Africa? And (ii) What is the capacity level of African UNESCO site actors for disaster risk management? These two broad questions are further split into seven sub-questions. The research utilized both primary data from surveys and interviews with UNESCO actors, and secondary data from relevant policy documents and the Index for Risk Management data. Analytical techniques, including descriptive statistics, mean difference tests, discrepancy analyses and machine learning, were employed to address the research questions.
The assessment reveals that 41 % of UNESCO-designated heritage sites in Africa are located in disaster hotspots. The nature of disasters in Africa is found to be predominantly social, and the vulnerability of these sites to increasing disaster risks is primarily driven by factors such as violent conflicts, population displacement, and poverty. Furthermore, the results indicate that while UNESCO actors in Africa possess strong competencies in disaster risk management, there is a noticeable gap in adopting innovative strategies and technologies for risk reduction. Additionally, hazard exposure, risk perception, and resource availability significantly influence disaster preparedness at these sites.
In conclusion, this thesis emphasizes the urgent need for extensive policy changes to address interconnected social disaster risk drivers in Africa and the imminent threats posed to the numerous heritage sites within hotspots. It also highlights capacity deficiencies among UNESCO actors demonstrating the importance of tailored professional development programs to enhance disaster risk management effectiveness. Bridging these gaps is essential for reducing disaster risk exposure to Africa's collective heritage, advancing resilience and sustainable futures.
CY  - Heidelberg
Y1  - 2025///
A1  - Eze, Emmanuel
AV  - public
ID  - heidok35581
UR  - https://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/volltextserver/35581/
N1  - Doctoral research funded by a scholarship from the Deutscher Akademischer Austauschdienst (DAAD) from 10/2021 - 10/2024
ER  -